In September 2012, the United States Post Office announced that to reduce operating costs, the hours at over 13,000 post offices in rural areas across the nation would be cut back.

These cut-backs are being seen in area towns. Adrian is one of those towns.

According to Brenda Paplow, Officer in Charge at the Adrian Post Office and Bigelow Postmaster, the new reduced window hours became effective on January 12, 2013.

Along with the reduced window hours was a reduction in staff hours. "Now," says Brenda, "Mail sorting in the post office starts an hour later. This means that Post Office Box mail is available at 9:30 am."

"Anytime you make a change," says Brenda, "There are adjustments, but there haven't been too many problems."

In addition to mail arriving later than usual, residents complain that they weren't made aware of the upcoming changes. In accordance with USPS policy, a notice was posted in the Post Office lobby for the required 30 days before the change was implemented. This may have been something that was easily overlooked during the holiday rush.

The last mail pick-up Monday through Friday is 2:45 pm at the drop box inside the lobby; 4:15 pm at the outside drop box. The last mail pick up on Saturday is at 8:45 am at the inside drop box; 4:45 pm at the outside drop box.

The next closest mail collection sites are in Luverne and Worthington.